Assam floods: Three children missing after boat carrying 24 people capsizes

Assam floods: While 21 people were rescued, three children have been missing after a boat carrying flood-affected people capsized in Assam's Hojai district, officials said on Saturday. The boat was ferrying 24 villagers from the inundated Islampur village late on Friday night. Around Rajkota area, the boat capsized after hitting a submerged brick kiln.

“Personnel of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) rescued 21 people, while search operations are underway to trace the three missing children,” news agency PTI quoted Hojai Deputy Commissioner Anupam Choudhury as saying. He also urged the people in flood-hit areas to avoid taking risk and venturing out in the dark.

“If people ` to move to safer places, they should contact the district administration. We will evacuate them in NDRF and SDRF boats,” the Deputy Commissioner added.

Over 55,150 people were affected in the district where the Kopili river has flooded vast area. The district was also severely hit by the first wave of floods earlier in 2022. Another person was also reported missing in the district in a separate incident, the Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA) bulletin said.

Another boat carrying four people capsized in Sonitpur on Friday, leaving one missing. The state is severely hit by floods currently with 54 deaths and 18.94 people affected. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi called Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma to take stock of the situation. PM Modi assured CM Sarma of all the help required from the central government. 

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